Despite its responsibility to prevent adulterated and tainted meat from being used for human food, the United States Department of Agriculture explicitly allows diseased animals into the human food supply.

• The USDA has prohibited the slaughter of nonambulatory or “downer” cattle for human food primarily because they are at high risk for mad cow disease (BSE). However, a loophole in this regulation exempts some cattle who go down after their initial inspection. Click here to read more.
• A study of USDA slaughterhouse records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act shows that the Agency approves meat from animals with pneumonia, hepatitis, lymphoma, gangrene and other ailments. Click here for report.
• When the USDA was petitioned to prevent the slaughter of diseased animals for human food, it responded with a letter explicitly stating that it is acceptable to use meat from diseased animals for human food. Click here to read letter.
• Members of Congress are speaking out against the irresponsible practice of marketing and slaughtering downed and diseased animals for human food. Click here to read more.